Glacier Fund nears $1 million mark

Hungry Horse News

From toilets to wildlife research to educational programs, the Glacier Fund has proven it's worth to Glacier National Park by leaps and bounds.

The non-profit fundraising arm of the park provided nearly $1 million in funding for projects since its inception in 1999.

This year the fund will provide either total or partial funding for 17 projects totaling more than $292,700, including funding to develop an educational curriculum for students and teachers in the park.

"The Glacier Fund has been very successful in building a program that enables the park to accomplish many needed projects that otherwise might not be possible," superintendent Mick Holm said. "We appreciate their efforts and the support of their many donors, locally and nationally, who have made this possible. This year's grant total is the highest yet for the Fund."

Past projects have included a McDonald Creek boardwalk, converting the park's slide program systems to digital technology, funding bighorn sheep studies, rehabilitating highly impacted hiking trails, and studying songbird distribution in the park.

Other gifts run of the practical side.

Last year a donor funded a $4,000 toilet that was needed at the Hole-in-the-Wall backcountry campground, said Fund director Jan Metzmaker.

Metzmaker also noted the fund serves the park by providing matching portions of grants. By law, the fund cannot pay for permanent positions in the park, but it can provide funding for temporary positions. This has proven especially valuable in several park studies, including bighorn sheep and wolverine studies that are currently ongoing in Glacier.

Carolyn Crutcher, the president of the fund's board of trustees, said the success is all due to public support.

"The reason we've been able to do so much in such a short period is because Glacier National Park is so beloved by the public, and its protection and preservation is high on people's list of valuable causes," Crutcher said. "We thank all of our donors for their support through the license tag program, annual contributions, and major gifts they have provided."

The Fund raises money in several different ways, including direct donations, major gifts and a customized Montana Glacier National Park license plate. Each plate costs motorists $20 annually to renew and the fund has sold thousands.

The following is a list of representative projects funded for 2005:

€ Backcountry boardwalk installation/repair: Build turnpike structures along Two Medicine Lake, Otokomi and Josephine Lake trails.

€ Bear-proof food storage lockers for campgrounds: Purchase and install additional food lockers for use by campers in major campgrounds.

€ Build 10 additional information stations in major campgrounds.

€ Citizen stewardship: Expand the current volunteer and student programs in the native plant nursery and revege-